Take Me With You...

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Summer Destination: DMV (DC, Maryland and Virginia)

I AM BACK! It has been a minute! I will catch you up on what has been going on in Zambia in future blog entries. In short, my absence was due to lack of internet in my new home (YES I am finally moved in!). However, no worries -- internet was installed a few days prior to my departure for TDY in mid-June. So be ready to read exciting, photo-filled entries on how I have settled into work and play in Lusaka!

Now, where was I ...

I moved to Zambia in February and as luck would have it, I was sent on TDY in Arlington VA! I landed early June so it has been a great month home! Yes, I was home for work but you know I played with family, friends and former colleagues! I return to Zambia tomorrow after a great month home. Yesterday I spent a lot of time alone, in my thoughts, reflecting, smiling and realizing I'm so thankful. I've fully learned and continue to appreciate the teaching of people being in your life for seasons. Some seasons last longer than others. Sometimes soil is restored and new seasons bring life back to friendships you thought were lost. I've also learned more about how to ensure I am happy. A very large part of my happiness is being surrounded by great people experiencing great food, sipping drinks, laughing and genuinely enjoying others company.

While I was home I was able to do some really great things and try new places to eat or have a drink. Please enjoy the photos. They will give you a small glimpse into how I spent my time after work and on weekends while home in Northern VA.

PRINCE and 3RDEYEGIRL

I landed home on Sat June 13 and my baby, Prince, performed at the Warner Theater in DC on Sunday June 14! Before the concert, my best friend Shana, Fatima and myself had drinks in the hotel room. After drinks we met Bonnie (my Prince Concert Fairy Godmother) at Chef Geoff's for appetizers and a few more drinks. This was concert #10 for this #1 Prince fan and I still found myself losing my voice, singing every song, dancing and when encore #2 brought out Stevie Wonder -- I CRIED! If you have never seen Prince in concert, please do yourself a favor and go to the nearest city on this Hit and Run Tour!

FAMILY!!

During my time home I was fortunate enough to celebrate the life of my Great Great Aunt Mary. She celebrated 100 wonderful years of life! Bonus: I was able to meet extended family! Love you Aunt Mary and may God continue to bless you with many healthy more years!

I spent a great amount of time with family! Of course we celebrated 4th of July (ugh forgot to take photos)! But before my departure my sweet cousin, Nate, planned an afternoon of bowling. Everyone knows I am super competitive but alas I had some hefty competition! I only won 1 game but it was an amazing time!

FRIENDS!!

Shawntel visits from Paris! Of course we ate well and then did some
salsa dancing at Habana Village in Adams Morgan, DC!

Aisha, friend since 1997, drove up from ATL! She tried to turn up
but my friend is definitely more into good convo, good food and afternoon naps haha

Keli aka Popcorn, also friends since 1997, flew in from STL. She was also here for work
but you know we played! Enjoyed a great dinner and then sweated it out to bachata and
salsa at The Salsa Room in Arlington VA.

Veerle, a former colleague, and Eric, a troublemaker I met in Haiti haha
As destiny would have it, he missed his flight and I was able to hang out with
these two one school night at Ri Ra bar in Georgetown.

Aisha and I caught up with my buddies from middle school, Colleen
and Danielle for a yummy lunch at Central Michel Richard.

Happy hour and bonding with old colleagues and friends!

We were NOT ready for the frozen margaritas at El Centro ha

AMAZING FOOD!

It is no secret, a cheeseburger is my favorite food! And lunch with my Mom, Aunt Estelle, Aunt Carolyn and niece, Savannah did not disappoint! If you are ever in Fredericksburg, VA, please make your way to Park Lane Tavern (http://parklanetavern.com/). The food was really good! Also, if you like scotch, this is your place! They have an amazing scotch selection and even offer scotch flights! If you are into beer, another place perfect for you. Their list in extensive with great options from England, Belgium, Ireland and Holland.

Bacon, cheddar, bbq sauce and onion straws - so yum!

"Meet me at Stan's!" Stan's restaurant (http://www.stansrestaurant.com/) has been popular for over 30 years! Located off of Vermont Avenue, if you are looking for a strong drink and amazing chicken wings - THIS IS THE PLACE! I am also a huge fan of their chili cheese fries. I have not had chili cheese fries THIS GOOD since Stegall's in ATL on CAU campus closed down (*aw memories*). This is a great spot every night of the week but be warned: Monday - Friday after work gets PACKED! But for me, Stan's is worth the wait. So much so I visited this place three times during my time home!

The mini decanter is filled with coke.
The larger glass is ice, Mt. Gay rum and lime.
Please drink responsibly -- always taxi or uber
to Stan's Restaurant!

Chili cheese fries. The reason I will need to
work out on the daily basis upon my return to
Lusaka for a good 30 days. So. Good.

You will never forget these wings! You CAN
get them baked but er um why would you?!

Of course while I was home I had to dine with Kizi! We chose to dine at Zatinya (http://www.zaytinya.com/). I first sampled the yummy food at Zatinya last year during Jose Andres Dine N' Dash. I was excited to go back. Kizi chose the Chef's Experience. It was $55 per person and the Chef served 7 dishes which included appetizer, salad, main and dessert. It was a really nice selection and a lot of food! I chose a la carte. I was only happy with 2 of the 4 dishes I chose but those 2 were AMAZING!

Chef experience: brussel sprouts

Hummus - excellent!

Chef experience: turkish delight ice cream -
AMAZING!

Kizi and I after Zatinya
(this one photo took FOREVER to approve haha)

WOW is the best way to describe where the ladies and I enjoyed lunch on a sunny July afternoon. Central Michel Richard (http://www.centralmichelrichard.com/) is delicious! Along with their food being a true culinary experience, they have an extensive bar and knowledgeable wait staff.

Danielle enjoyed a STRAWBERRY SMASH:
Rum (instead of gin), almond, strawberry, lemon and
Peychaud's. This was SO good!

Caesar salad

Fried chicken on mashed potatoes with
side salad

Hanger steak (super flavorful) with peppercorn
sauce, fries and side salad

The chocolate bar. Please make this happen for yourself!

Keli was in town for work and Chryste was leaving town to meet her family so one last supper with these ladies was a non-negotiable. I wanted to take Keli somewhere different so I asked Chryste and she did not disappoint with her suggestion: Blackwall Hitch in Old Town, Alexandria (http://theblackwallhitch.com/menu/). The service was so so but apparently they opened recently so hopefully the work out those kinks. The food, however, was delicious! If you are in Old Town --- stop in! Bonus: live music every night. The band is ... eclectic and interesting haha

Crab dip

Zucchini fritts

Braised short rib. So tender, so good!
Even as a leftover it was delicious!

Last but not least I was finally able to catch up with my friend, Joi. Joi and I met in Zambia during her 90 day TDY. Lucky me she lives in MD. Now you know this VA girl does NOT venture into MD but I made an exception for Joi haha and I am glad I did! She introduced me to Food Wine & Co (http://www.foodwineandco.com/home.html) off of Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda, MD. Amazing! I loved the atmosphere, the extensive wine list and the food was also YUM! I normally do not do dessert but at this place, I made another exception ... worth every weight watchers point haha

Angus flat iron steak with a very nice
glass of rose. Entree served with truffle
steak fries and cress with parmesan.

Tiramisu My Way: chocolate streusel, kahlua caramel
coffee crumble and espresso ice cream

If you are ever in the DMV area - try something different and attend one of the aforementioned places - you will NOT regret it!

Prior to my return I received advice from two different people - Afua and Kim - both who have experience living abroad and returning home for short visits. Their advice was simple: do not try to see EVERYONE in this month. Set up a happy hour and/or dinner and gather as many people as possible. Those that are unable to make the happy hour and/or dinner will need to catch you next time. If you try to see everyone you will be burned out quickly. Of course I did NOT follow this guidance. What can I say, I am a people pleasing extrovert haha And while YES I am absolutely exhausted and my mid-30s body is screaming "sit yo ass down!" I do not regret one moment, one dinner, one drink, one moment spent with my family, friends and especially not attending the Prince concert! Best TDY ever! Oh ... and I learned a lot hahaha

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Easter weekend in Cape Town, South Africa

Over the Easter holiday weekend my family said goodbye and buried my grandmother, Mary Kenney. When she passed my family and I discussed the option of my coming home but they insisted I stay and enjoy the Easter weekend. Instead of flying home, I flew to visit my friend, Ingrid, in Cape Town!

April 3^rd and 4^th are holidays here in Zambia and so on Thursday night I flew to Cape Town so that I may enjoy as much time as possible in one of my favorite destinations. Normally, Ingrid and I do the same things: wine tasting at my favorite farm, Fairview, go to the movies, find a place to dance and eat yummy food with a Dom Pedro for dessert. However, this weekend was filled with so much DIFFERENT and I loved it!

Instead of wine tasting at Fairview, Ingrid introduced me to SPICE ROUTE (http://www.spiceroute.co.za/). I loved this place! It is the perfect all day destination with family, friends or even a great date option! There is so much to do for everyone. Ingrid and I were hungry so we stopped at La Grapperia (see menu: http://www.spiceroute.co.za/wp-content/uploads/la-grapperia-menu.pdf) first to enjoy light snacks. We enjoyed a very nice spread of cheese, meats, bread – all perfectly paired with spicy Dijon mustard and sweet fig chutney. And all of this deliciousness was enjoyed with a lovely Pinotage Rose (La Capra, which is the Fairview distribution label – win win!). While enjoying our food, wine and the view, we did also note our neighbors who were eating thin crust, fire-wood pizza! What to choose?! Next time I shall have to try the pizza! After our “light” snacks we were actually quite full and ready to move to the wine tasting. On the way to wine tasting, Ingrid stopped to buy an ice cream cone. The ice cream was made with only fresh ingredients and the flavors offered: strawberry (ripe strawberries and cream), chocolate (chocolate from Ghana), vanilla (beans from Madagascar) and cappuccino (locally grown coffee beans and cream). She chose a scoop of chocolate and a scoop of cappuccino. I chose to skip ice cream in favor of the calories I would consume during wine tasting (life is about balance haha)!

Spice Route

Ingrid and I

Hellllllllo Ingrid!

The tasting area was quite nice – very open with a beautiful view. There were people lying on the grass, barefoot, watching their kids play, taking photos or having light snacks. Others were lounging on long benches under an umbrella and some were gathered in large groups in the patio area. No matter where you were seated you enjoyed the magnificent weather and spectacular view. They offer several tasting options: Spice Route Wine Journey at R30 per person which includes a selection of five (5) Spice Route wines including Chakalaka; the Flagship Wine Journey at R50 per person which includes selection of five (5) of our single vineyard and flagship wines or the Wine & Charcuterie Journey at R75 per person which includes a selection of four (4) Spice Route wines paired with four (4) Richard Bosman Quality Cured Meats. I chose the Spice Route Wine Journey mainly because I wanted to try the Chakalaka. The Chakalaka was so different – spicy with a very nice finish. I could easily pair this with a nice steak! In the end I took two bottles of their Chenin Blanc and two bottles of the Chakalaka back to Zambia.

Pinotage rose with a view

Smoked italian meat platter

Cheese is SO delicious!

Me and my wine - great tasting!

On Saturday we celebrated the bride to be, Helga, by attending a hen/kitchen party... in other words a bachelorette party! It was a fabulous gathering of women that adore Helga and they really came together to throw her a magnificent day. I was lucky enough to join and in doing so found myself doing three new things in Cape Town!

The lucky bride to be - Helga :)

Ingrid, myself and Kim at The One and Only

Afternoon Tea at The One and Only. We arrived in style in a stretch hummer limo to the One and Only Resort in Cape Town (http://capetown.oneandonlyresorts.com/). Immediately we were greeted by a beautiful fountain and made our way to the entrance of the hotel on a lovely red carpet. When you walk into The One and Only you immediately notice the Vista bar / lounge area. The room is appropriately named as your eyes have no choice but to be drawn to and enjoy the amazing view of Table Mountain which is easily done because of the floor-to-ceiling wall of glass.

Afternoon tea with a view ...

Afternoon tea is enjoyed in the Vista bar / lounge area from 2:30 – 5:30pm daily at a rate of R195 (approximately $19.50) and includes a gourmet selection of teas and coffees. When I thought of ‘afternoon tea’ my mind always pictured what I read in Agatha Christie novels – tea served with sugar and milk accompanied with sweet or savory scones and cucumber sandwiches. The Afternoon tea at The One and Only is so much more! You are immediately overwhelmed with the selection so pace yourself! There is so much to try and it is ALL delicious! On the savory side, I enjoyed a beef puff pastry with a nice gravy and diced potatoes inside and a light puff pastry cup stuffed with minced beef and baked beans. On the sweet side, my favorite were the baked vanilla bean cheese cake and the gooseberry scone! I am a new fan of gooseberries! However, I also sampled limoncello macaroons, a carrot cake truffle, caramel and gold leaf éclairs and a lemon cupcake. With these small treats I was especially fond of the wild citrus black tea which was served in a small cast iron kettle. If you are ever in Cape Town I suggest you treat yourself to afternoon tea at The One and Only … it is definitely not the afternoon teas you read about in your favorite novels!

Happy Easter weekend from Cape Town!

Welcome to The One and Only High Tea

Tea was amazing!

SO delicious!

This cheesecake was AMAZING!

My savory plate

The View at Signal Hill. After leaving The One and Only, we took a long drive up to Signal Hill (http://www.capetown.travel/attractions/entry/Signal_Hill_and_the_Noon_Gun). Now, this drive is gorgeous! Pay attention! If you are the passenger, take a moment to simply enjoy the ride up to Signal Hill. Approximately 1100 ft. up, you are promised a spectacular view! In fact, the name “Signal Hill” derived from a time when “signal flags” were used to communicate weather warnings as well as anchoring instructions to ships below. Similarly, ships could use flags to signal for assistance. Today, people flock to Signal Hill to enjoy the view with friends, a picnic, a bottle of wine or to continue and hike up Lion’s Head Mountain. This particular day was simply to take scenic photos with the bride to be, Helga. I usually venture up Table Mountain but this was a very nice new option for me!

Breathtaking view from Signal Hill

Smiles from Signal Hill!

Dancing at Decodance. No weekend with Ingrid would be complete without DANCING! After the obligatory bachelorette party games, shots, glasses of champagne and sunset photos, we piled back into the stretch hummer limo and made our now quite tipsy way to Decodance Nightclub (http://decodance.co.za/). We arrived a bit early at 9:30pm but within an hour the club was packed! The music… let me say I AM A FAN! They played classics from the 60s,70s and 80s! When we walked in they were playing power ballad, November Rain by Guns N’ Roses (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SbUC-UaAxE)! They even played CLASSIC PRINCE, The Ballad of Dorothy Parker (http://www.wat.tv/video/prince-ballad-of-dorothy-parker-5xxnr_2hztv_.html). You have to be fan to know the song they played and when it came on I was not the only person jumping up and down, singing every word! Later in the night they played fun dance hits from the 90s as well! It was crowded but a lot of room to dance which was great! We danced the night away until 2:30am. There are two dance areas. The larger area is a smoking area but I was not overly consumed with cigarette fumes. I even barely noticed the smell on my clothes. In the bigger room there is also a stage … and a pole on that stage…just in case you feel a bit naughty! #judgementfreezone The smaller dance area is non-smoking and was a bit quiet. The bar is easier to get to in that room so get your drinks there and then I suggest making your way back into the larger dance area. Leave your credit cards at home because the club only accepts cash at the bar. Usually Ingrid and I love to dance at an Irish pub when I am in Cape Town but this place was magical! I would definitely return to the dance floor at Decodance!

I return home in June for training and while home I will have a chance to show my respect and say my final goodbye to my grandmother. I admit I am glad I took the advice of my parents as well as a close friend and chose to spend my Easter weekend in Cape Town, spending time with my good friend who I knew would ensure I kept a smile on my face and wine in my glass!

I am in Cape Town? Then Happy Phoebe!

If you are ever in Cape Town I encourage you to do the things I have mentioned in previous blog posts as well as the three mentioned in this particular post. Whatever you choose to do, you will have a magnificent time because there is no place in the world quite like Cape Town, South Africa!